


Cold Fire

by grimoiretales



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, F/M, Gang Rape, Gen, Multi, Psychological Torture, Revenge, Slavery, Suspense, World War I
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2018-03-26 00:50:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3831016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimoiretales/pseuds/grimoiretales
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A cold fire was ignited the day she was supposed to die. Now the fire has spread vehemently to distort the futures of the infamous demon master-slave and several others' who have became involved with her. How long will it go unnoticed before the Shinigami Administration senses it? </p>
<p>Emma Ambrose struck a deadly deal... not with a Demon but with a Shinigami!<br/>And now she is faced with a challenge to bring back the Demon butler from the depths of hell... <em>DEVOID</em> of the demon master...</p>
<p>Continuation of Kuroshitsuji Anime Season 2 Ending...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shun Death, Befriend the Reaper

**Author's Note:**

> (Inspired by the quote, _'Shun Death, is my advice.'_ by Robert Browning)

The winter night seemed more cruel than usual. Clouds took turns to black out the moon. The cold wind picked up pace, freezing the immediate environment. A melancholy sound persisted in the air as the wind grazed mercilessly through the leaves in the dead night. But nothing seemed to deter the spirits of the people. As the wind gushed through the streets at a menacing rate, people only tugged their winter coats closer and gleefully chatted away. It appeared like the human kind had come together, in unison, to fight the odds put forth by nature. The streets radiated a warm golden glow, despite the ominous shadows cast down by the skirting clouds. Bells chimed away joyfully in a distance. All redundant jobs cast aside, the people of England, indulged more enthusiastically than ever in the preparations for welcoming the lord.

Meanwhile, in a dark alley somewhere, a lonely girl aged 11, struggled to stand up. The side of her abdomen was slit open and her satin laced silk white dress was stained thick red. She gasped helplessly, forcing her lungs to grasp every molecule of Oxygen possible. Her eyelids fluttered incessantly as she fought to stay awake. Her mind rampaged through her past, frantically searching for a cherished memory to make her slow death only less painful. She clutched the side of her abdomen with cold fingers. The cold air of December, pierced through her wound mercilessly, gradually numbing the flesh and the nerves. She did not know how long it would be before she breathed her last. Slowly, she reached for the trinket that hung loosely around her neck. With blood drenched hands, she held it open in her palm, to see the portraits that lay hidden inside… one last time. She clutched the locket tightly and in a low shallow voice, she murmured, 'Rebecca, I guess I will be joining you soon after all. Sorry… I lived such a worthless life. Please forgive me.' She let go of the locket and shut her eyes facing the sky. A streak of tear trickled down her cheek. _"Is this all there is to my life?"_ she mused over her condition.

As the numbness coursed through her mind, binding her senses to a deep sleep, she heard a loud piercing sound in the air. It seemed to grow louder and louder till she could distinctly identify it to be originating from a chain saw. Startled, yet with minimum effort, she moved her eyelids to a slit to see the source of the cacophony. There stood a man, smiling, few feet away from her, with thick, long crimson hair flowing alongside the wind, wearing a pair of half-moon framed spectacles and a red jacket that matched the color of his hair. There was a golden green shimmer in his eyes and he was holding a fierce looking chain saw. Bright yellow sparks were flying from its edges. His teeth resembled the blades of the saw he was holding. He looked up to the sky and spoke, 'Ah! What a beautiful night! This place reeking with the smell of blood is such a titillating sight! My heart is pounding so loudly, I feel I could die from ecstasy. Ah… I haven't felt like this in such a long time! Ummm...' He rambled on and on with least consideration for the victim fighting for death in front of him. She stared at him, her eyes following every self-absorbed gesture he was making, thinking profusely, " _Who is this guy? What is he doing here? Why is he carrying a chain saw at this time of the night? Is he a retard or has he escaped from jail? And what is with his androgynous attire? Something's wrong with his teeth, they look nothing close to a human's. What is he up to? Is he here to save me?"_

'NO', he replied. She was startled. He walked forward and knelt in front of her. 'No, I am not here to save you… princess. I am here to take away your soul. I, Grell Sutcliffe, the most beautiful looking Soul Reaper among all the Soul Reapers in this world have come to collect your soul. Be thankful to god…', he looked at her with appealing eyes.

Irked but maintaining her calm, Emma retorted, 'Too bad Grell san… I cannot say if you are the most beautiful of your kind. I have not seen the rest of your kin with my own eyes. But I can see that you are one proud, confused, lousy reaper.' She smiled and continued, 'Instead of doing your job, you are enjoying the scenery and my discomfort.'

'What rudeness!' He suddenly yanked her dress, pulling her face close to his. 'I am not here to make you feel comfortable missy. If I want to, I can end your misery right now but you see the higher ups will pin me down and make my life more miserable if I reap your soul before the scheduled time…' He shoved her back to the wall. 'Why the hell am I telling you all this?' he slapped his palm on the forehead, standing. 'By the way you seem to be one noisy little brat for a dying person', retaliated the reaper.

'Time? What time are you talking about?' asked Emma.

'It is none of your business so die already' replied Grell furrowing his eyebrows.

'Ah! I see. It is the time interval before you start losing your head and spout nonsense, is it?' she teased smilingly.

Enraged, he pulled out a queer looking watch, that bore two digits, scarlet red, blaring out from a black background, out of his pocket and threw it in front of her. 'You… you are testing my patience… I haven't felt this irritated in a lifetime! And moreover why are you not afraid of me? I am a freaking Shinigami. Shouldn't you be more resisting and you know… show me how scared you are? Why are you…?'

'Grell san, what a weird watch you have? What do the digits mean?' she cut him off.

'Listen to what others say to you…' the Reaper yelled at her.

'I heard you Grell san. I have nothing in my life that I am looking forward to. I have no one waiting for me or a place where I can return to. This life has been pretty much meaningless anyway. I just feel that you are a bit strange but not in the least scary.' She smiled looking him in the eye. 'So… so how much time do I have left?' asked Emma.

'13 minutes', he replied.

'I see. So I won't die until 13 minutes have passed?' she asked him.

'Ah. Yes. You won't die before the scheduled time and I cannot cut you till the scheduled time is over. What a boring situation and to sum it up, I am stuck with a high headed shorty' he snorted. 'Damn it! I want to go back home and see Will… Ah! Will… When will I get to hug you? You are always such a diligent guy. It makes me want to spoil you… Ummm… Will…' The Shinigami started making disgusting noises.

Emma watched in awe at his stupidity while maintaining her calm posture.  _"A little entertainment before dying is ok I guess"_ she thought. She said curiously, 'Grell san, That Will guy. Is he your boyfriend?'

'Boyfriend? No way…' he replied. Emma was surprised. 'Will is my superior. I just like to tease him. In this world, nobody has been able to take this beautiful maiden's heart… Except that guy. Ummmm… just thinking about that guy brings goose bumps all over my body. Touch and see how hot my body has become just from his thoughts! One more time…. Just one more time I want to see him… I want to cuddle him… I want to have his babies…'

Emma watched amusedly at the way Grell was jabbering. But it was getting too much for her to handle. She sighed and said, 'Grell san. It's impossible for a guy to bear babies. Moreover who is this guy who has successfully made you fall head over heels in love with him?'

'Who? That man is the most beautiful creation in this world. I fell in love the moment I saw him. Such super good looks. Such a sleek and slender body that can do wonders. Skills and talents that are second to none. He is my light in the times of my darkness. He is the only medicine for my heart and he is….  **ONE HELL OF A BUTLER! SEBASTIAN MICHAELIS!**

'Huh? You fell in love with a Butler? That is so disappointing Grell san. Here I was thinking what a magnificent man, this Sebastian was!' mocked Emma.

'What are you saying, you high headed spoiled brat! Did you not hear me clearly? I said Sebastian is one hell of a butler! He is a Demon' replied a frowning Grell san.

'A Demon and a Shinigami! What a contrasting pair! By the way what is a demon doing on earth? And why is he a butler? You are not making any sense Grell san' replied Emma.

'Ah mo! Shut up! How many questions do you ask anyway? Listen carefully…

Sebastian is a Demon and the butler of Earl Ciel Phantomhive. If a human is able to form a contract with the demon, the demon can stay on earth' replied Grell.

'Contract? What contract?' asked a curious Emma.

'The human who forms a contract with the Demon becomes the master of the Demon. He can wish for anything he or she wants and the Demon will carry out the orders absolutely. But in return, the human has to pay a very heavy price' replied Grell.

'What price?'

'The Soul' he replied.

'The Soul?' asked Emma puzzled.

'Yes, the human soul, in return for making the demon work for you. That is the contract. Ciel was able to summon Sebastian and form a contract with him so that he could take revenge on the people who murdered his family and burnt his mansion.'

'So… So was he able to seek revenge?' asked Emma quietly.

'I think he could but I am not really sure. A lot of things happened in between. After that they both just disappeared.'

'Where do you think they went, Grell san?' asked Emma.

'I don't know. Sebastian is not on earth so I think he must have returned to Lacrimosa'.

'Lac… Lacri…mos?' asked Emma slightly tightening her fingers around the wound.

'It is the Demon's nest. All the Demons stay there' replied Grell.

'This Ciel guy… uhh… must be a very strong person right? To be able to… to be able to summon a demon' said Emma. Her breathing became more strained as she tried to utter the words.

'What are you saying? That shorty. He was no older than you and was as high headed as you are. I don't know what about that kid attracted Sebastian so much that he would not even look at this beautiful maiden's face…' Grell started mumbling to himself.

A sharp pain shot through Emma's spine. She clutched her abdomen tightly and closed her eyes.

'Oi, shorty. It's almost time.' He stared at her. 'Oi, Oi, Oi… don't fall asleep now. I can't enjoy cutting you if I don't see the pain and fear in your eyes. Oi, are you listening to me…'

Grell san's voice seemed very distant. What Emma was able to view now was darkness all around her. It was quiet and peaceful. _"This must be the end. I have never felt so much at ease"._ The corners of her lips curled into a tiny smile.

_ "Are you okay with this kind of a pathetic ending?" _ a voice boomed from behind her.

Bright, too bright a light shone upon her. She shielded her eyes with her forearms. The rays emanated a warm heat, the heat when embraced by a loved one. She felt comfortable. She felt at peace. Two hands closed up on her. She felt her head resting upon soft bosom. She was startled. Such a familiar hug! She looked up.  _ "Rebecca!" _

Rebecca smiled.  _ "It is me, you dummy." _

_ "Oh! Rebecca… I am so glad you are alive or wait..." _ she paused for a moment.  _ "Am I dead? Is this heaven? Did I finally make it?" _

A tiny frown appeared on Rebecca's face.  _ "What are you saying Emma? You are not dead yet. Can't you hear Grell san shouting?" _

Emma listened closely. She could hear an angry voice yelling in the background. She turned behind her but she could not see Grell san. She looked at Rebecca puzzled.

_"This place is the tunnel with a one way in and a one way out. The bright light is coming from the exit. Normally people who cross this tunnel either go to heaven or hell depending on their deeds but since you still have strong attachments lingering on earth, your time has stalled for a few seconds in this tunnel. That is also the reason why I was able to reach out to you."_

_"I don't understand anything Rebecca. What are you trying to say?"_

_"This place is in your head Emma and you are not dead yet. I have come to ask you one question and I want an honest answer from you. Tell me are you really fine dying like this?"_

_"Rebecca it really doesn't matter. I will be joining you again. And my life on earth has not been worth living anyways…"_

_ "You are not answering my question, Emma. Are you fine dying like this? Are you content with what has happened in your life? Tell me honestly, you still don't think you have some unfinished business on earth?" _ asked Rebecca in a soft gentle voice.

_ "I… I…" _ stammered Emma.  _ "I… don't care about it anymore. I just want to be with you? Is that bad?" _

Rebecca looked at Emma closely. She sighed and took Emma's trembling hand in hers.  _ "You know you have always been stronger than me in your heart. When I tried to hide my feelings with a smile on my face, you always wore the expression that spoke your heart. Remember the time, Mom was angry with us for no reason, you scowled at her and even received a beating later. But you still wore the same expression, undeterred." _

_"Yeah, I remember. I thought you were strong cause you were able to hide your feelings so well and endure the pain. I have always looked up to you."_

_"You are wrong Emma. I have been the one who has looked up to you. I always sought you for my inspiration. But with time you changed. You began to cry a lot. You let your despair get you. You started complaining. We both shared the same harsh fate but it became difficult for me comfort you every time you complained. I thought you will understand and stop at one point of time but you never did and I could never find my inspiration…"_

Emma was stunned.  _ "All this is new for me Rebecca. I never thought… I had been such a burden. Why… why didn't you tell me anything before?" _

_"I was your only hope, Emma. If I had told you before, you would have been devastated. So when I died I thought you would be finally free of my shadow but you cooped up in your hole more. I thought you would live your life more meaningfully but all my efforts to keep you alive are in vain…"_

_ "Rebecca, I…" _ tears welled in Emma's eyes _. "I am sorry. I am so sorry." _ She sank to the ground.

_ "Its not too late Emma. Live your life fully. Its too early for you to be on my side. You have to do what I couldn't do on earth…" _ said Rebecca softly.

_ "Rebecca? I don't understa…" _ her eyes widened in shock as she realized what was being asked of her. She looked up,  _ "You want me to take revenge on those who did that to you?" _

Rebecca closed her eyes, gently smiling she locked her arms around Emma's shoulders.  _ "Yes" _ she whispered in her ear.

What was happening? Emma's mind was in a turmoil. The scene from one year ago replayed in her mind. Blood… ten people… an unforgivable sin… Her expression changed as she realized how miserable she had felt after the loss of the one trusted person.  _ "Revenge… Revenge.." _ the word echoed through the darkness. Unshapely emotions welled up in her heart.

_ "Yes. That's right. My inspirational Emma is finally back. Turn back now. Use everything in your reach to teach them a lesson they will never forget. Seek revenge for my sake. That is the only way to reach me. I will be waiting for the day you come back to me after you have finished your unfinished business…" _ Rebecca smiled and the light became intense. Her figure slowly dissolved against the light till the entire tunnel was again covered with darkness.

Emma lay still. She clenched her fist. The noise became louder and louder. 'Shorty… get up you dumb headed shorty. I will not forgive you if you lay still like this.' She felt a strong jerk in her body and she was staring widely at Grell's annoyed face.

'Damn you! You almost ruined my mood. I can cut you with pleasure now.' Grell lifted his raging chain saw up in the air and smiled viciously. 'Finally the time has come to see your pathetic Dramatic record…'

'Ne Grell san, how much eager are you to meet Sebastian again? You love him so much yet you don't do anything to get to him. What a pathetic life you have!' smiled Emma tilting her head to one side.

Grell looked at her shocked.  _ "Who is this in front of me? One moment ago she was so lifeless. Did I see a gleam in her eyes or is it my imagination?" _ Ridiculous thoughts raced through Grell's mind.

Sensing victory at capturing his attention, Emma continued, 'Shinigami may not have the power to enter the realm of the Demon world. But a human does. Right, Grell san?'

Cautiously Grell asked, 'What are you trying to pull at? You have started blabbering. Enough of this nonsense. I will cut you now and be done with it.' He raised his saw once again.

'I can bring Sebastian back' Emma said flatly.

'Huh?' Grell's hands stopped moving. 'What?' he asked puzzled.

'Unlike you Grell san, I am a human. If I do what Ciel did then I will be able to bring Sebastian back from Lacrimosa.'

Grell stood stupefied. The words hit him at a slow pace. Before he could analyze the meaning of the words, Emma spoke again. 'Here is what you have to do. You have to let me go and I will make a contract with Sebastian.'

'A contract? Its not that easy missy. If you have no mission to carry out and call him on earth, he will devour your soul. Its better if I cut you know and release you from your suffering... don't you thin… What are you smiling at? Don't tell me… Don't tell me you still have something to do on earth!' asked Grell completely shaken.

Emma continued to smile.

'Wait, a minute. Are you trying to tell me that if I let you live, I will be able to see my Sebas chan again?' clarified Grell.

'Ah Grell san don't make me repeat the same thing again and again. All you have to do is trust me and let me go. I will definitely bring Sebastian back' she replied.

Grell stood there staring at the person in front of him. He didn't recognize her anymore. That meek defeated smile of hers had been replaced by a vicious grin. It appeared like her personality had taken a 180 degree turn. Her words replayed inside his head. He was thrown out of his wits.  _ "This female is mad"  _ he thought.  _ "But what she is saying is true. Only a human can summon a demon. But can I trust her?" _ he debated.  _ "Moreover will she be able to do it?" _

He looked at her again. She was looking at him the whole time trying to read his mind. Her earnest eyes gleamed but it appeared to Grell that her eyes were telling him that she had already convinced him. He glanced at the watch. It was already past the time to reap. He was pissed off.  _ "What if the management finds out about this? Oh my, Will will kill me for sure this time! But Sebas chan. I will never be able to see him again. If this female is not able to bring her back, I can always finish her off later. I think I will play along for some time. Hmmm… I have never felt like this since I made the deal with Madame Red." _ He had decided. He would give her 6 months.

Grell gave her one last look and said, 'I will let you free but on one condition. If you fail to bring Sebas chan within the next 6 months starting from today, I will rip your soul from your body and throw you in the deepest pit of hell.'

Emma smiled and said, 'I don't expect anything less from a Shinigami. So it's a deal then, Grell san.' She stretched her hand forward.

Grell stooped and with all his might, punched her wound with his hand and whispered in her ear, 'Shinigamis seal the deal this way, princess!'

Emma's head slumped on Grell's shoulders.

Grell stood up, blood trickling down his fingers. He adjusted his glasses and smiled at the interesting turn of events...


	2. Rituals and Lambs

Birds chirped their hearts out, greeting the cheerful day. The slight warmth in the air, probed and spread, everything and every space that spanned under its rapidly expanding wings. The gaily sunlight, furnished the carpet with bright patches of yellow and gold, skillfully traversing through the pores of the gauzy fabric, fluttering by the window. Emma lay still, blissfully asleep like a new born, in one dim corner of the room. It was only when the warmth nudged her repeatedly and the chirping became too loud to bear, her lazy eyes parted leisurely, only to be welcomed by a vivid three dimensional triangular cone floating high up from the ceiling. _"A star? A Christmas star?"_ she thought puzzled. 

A glass of water and an ornate silver cup brimming with tea waited at the table on her bedside begging her attention. She spontaneously reached for the glass, delightfully emptying its contents that expeditiously tended to her longtime parched throat. While her mouth dutifully attended to her physical needs, her mind wandered to the last moments of her encounter with the Shinigami. She shuddered when the cruelly granted deal ghosted across her mind. Her fingers cautiously glided to explore the sore muscle that was shooting weak waves of obnoxious pain that only intensified manifold upon contacting causing her body to cringe and tremble.

'Looks like you are awake, darling'.

Startled, Emma snapped her head up. Glancing curiously at her was a lean lady standing in the doorway. Her more-white-than-grey hair was slicked back in a neat bun and her torso was buried under an old fashioned gown, spanning her ankles. Her twinkling eyes wrinkled at her efforts to put forth a smile. She moved closer to Emma and patted her head, 'I thought you wouldn't be able to join me for breakfast today either'.

'How… How long have I been here Grandma?' asked Emma, letting her eyes screen the strangely cozy room she had failed to notice before.

'Oh, you have been passed out for 3 days dear. You were screaming and writhing in so much pain, it got me worried sick. I constantly kept praying... and with his grace, you are up on your feet again.' she smiled, a very genuinely warm and a gentle smile. 'And that calls for rejoicing... Oh dear!' she stopped short, the smile waning in the wake of a sudden realization, 'I almost forgot to wish you. Merry Christmas my dear child! May god bless you and keep you safe from harm in the future.' She held out her fagged out hand and stroked Emma's head.

Emma listened silently to the lady's words that only floated discretely in her fuzzy mind making no sense what so ever. 'Grandma, where am I? And how did I get here?'

'Oh, we'll spare the details for the breakfast dear. Come on, get out of bed. I will help you with your bath. That is one nasty wound you have there. May god beat some humanity into the person who did that to you. Come on, hurry'. She gently pulled Emma out of the bed and ushered her to the bathroom.

Somehow, Emma managed to evade the old lady's offer to wash her. Cloaked in a thin film of steamy hot water, Emma examined her wound again. " _I wonder if it will leave a scar..."_ she shook her head and dismissed the thought as quickly as it appeared in her mind. " _Does it matter anymore? Unfinished business, huh… How do I go about it?"_

A faded, worn out light pink dress lying on the bed awaited Emma, causing her to halt at the bathroom doorway drawing a disapproving look. _"The lady is too affectionate"_ she shook her head and draped herself.

'Oh my, just like I thought. That dress looks lovely on you. That was my niece's' said the old lady, her eyes twinkling with joy. Then just like before they lost their light in a jiffy, 'she passed away a year ago.' And again like nothing had happened, the old lady recuperated at a frightening pace, 'Well, past is past. Let that be. Now, we have scones, muffins, gingerbread, roasted goose, jelly and Christmas pudding. I made them all for you. So don't hold back and dig in right away!'

Emma groaned inwardly at the sudden display of erratic emotions declaring silently inside her head that she was never going to get used to it.  _ "Wait... am I even planning to stay that long?" _

Emma passed by a Christmas tree joyfully decorated with candies, bells, golden paper, gifts and ribbons, completely deeming its existence too useless to be of any notice. However she couldn't evade the intensely cheery and refreshing atmosphere that both the tree and the lady were putting forth for her to deal with. She simply wanted to disappear into a black void.

Emma began eating her food quickly, trying to drown her uneasiness and letting her impatience getting the better of her voice, before popping the unanswered question from before. 'Now tell me Grandma, how did I get here?'

The old lady sighed, with least efforts at refraining to show her disappointment. 'Well, three days ago, early in the morning, a young man with thick black hair, tied up with a red ribbon, wearing red rimmed glasses came by and thrust you upon me. He pretty rudely said to throw you out of the house once you regained your consciousness.' She paused and smiled, 'But you see dear, I have no intentions of doing that. I… I have lived alone for quite some time now. So your being here… well, makes me feel like I have someone to take care of. And I don't know if he will come back for you. So stay he…'

'I… I have some unfinished business I must absolutely attend to Grandma' said Emma harshly, disallowing the lady to continue further. She knew that the end of her speech would only awaken unwanted feelings inside of her which in turn would only weaken her resolve. The old lady's smile receded and a worried look stole its place. 'I understand dear. But... but... that man, do you trust him?'

Emma avoided the lady's glance. 'The food was delicious Grandma. It was really kind of you. But I must leave now.' she said with a swift bow as she got up from the table.

The old lady squeezed Emma's hand, 'Dear, I don't know what happened to you, but I will tell you one thing. Remember, no matter what happens, God will always be by your side. So don't lose hope. That is one thing that you must not abandon what so ever... Now wait here, I will fetch you a coat and a pair of gloves. It's insanely cold outside.' Emma stared at her hands as the tingling warmth lingered where the old lady had touched them. She smiled vaguely at the irony. It was true. For at least 6 months, if not god, the Shinigami would definitely be by her side.

When the old lady returned, Emma smiled and replied, 'Too bad Grandma, if it is God then he has forsaken me a long time ago and if it is hope, I have abandoned it a long time ago. Thank you for taking care of me.' She bowed again gracefully and exited the front door, leaving an astonished lady pondering over her words.

" _I shouldn't get involved with kind people."_ Emma thought uncomfortably. _"So… What should I do and where should I…"_

'Ah! For a while I thought you had changed your mind' boomed a voice from behind her. She turned to face a smirking Grell.

'You sound worried Reaper.' Emma returned his smirk. 'Anyway it would have been your fault for leaving me behind with a generous person and not expect her generosity to affect me.'

'Eh! Reaper? What happened to calling me Grell san? Please don't drop the honorifics. Not only do I refrain from taking your soul and grant you a deal, now I am being blamed for showing chivalry? Ah… kids these days… They have no respect for elders at all' said Grell, dramatically rolling his eyes and touching his forehead with the back of his hand. 'Anyway that lady will be dead by tonight' he added on a flat note.

Emma stopped dead in her tracks. Without turning back, she asked in a small voice, 'What do you mean?'

Grell side-glanced her apathetically, 'Why do you think we are here in this particular village Emma?'

Emma was not listening. She had to heed her aching heart that was being devoured by black vicious smoke mockingly clawing at her resolve to not get affected by the kindness showered by that lady. She clenched her fist as she flashed her hateful fangs inside her head at a huge glowing ball of white, _"Yet another kind, gentle, smiling person is going to be taken away from this world... What kind of plans do you have for everyone? Are you even there? Even though she completely believes in you, why are you not doing anything about it, God?"_ Her pulse quickened and hatred ate away at her heart.

Grell yelled behind her, 'Oi, are you listening to me?'

She instantly regained her tranquility and quickened her pace to avoid the annoying Shinigami to catch up with her, even if it was for a few nanoseconds... 'I am very well aware that you did not bring me to this village to be taken care of by a dying lady. I assume you have news regarding Sebastian. So quit babbling and get to the point' she replied sharply.

'You are smart for your appearance, princess. Just like that brat, Ciel was. You are right, I did find a way. But first we need to find a dried up well that is renowned to be the source of doom and illness. Sacrifice a lamb and the demon will appear. Oh! I can't wait to see Se-basu-chan...' squealed Grell in his obnoxiously high pitched voice.

'So where is the well?' Emma deadpanned, absolutely refusing to partake in the reaper's sick happiness.

'I don't know' Grell replied nonchalantly.

Emma halted, 'So Grell san you are saying that you found out so much but failed to get the exact location of the well and save us some time?'

'Well in a way that would be correct.' Grell grinned.

Emma shook her head, 'You are one lousy Shinigami after all!'

'If I do everything, what will you do princess?' retaliated Grell, in his defense.

Emma ignored his question and approached a woman who was busy drying clothes in her backyard. 'Excuse me, um... sorry for disturbing you while you are at work but would you be kind enough to tell me where I can find a dried up well in this village?'

The greeting smile that was plastered on the lady's face, until the question popped up, vanished immediately, and she stood stoned to the ground like she had peeped into the eyes of the Greek monster, Medusa. The cloth piece slipped from her hands and floated to the ground. Her eyes quivered with terror and horror as words nervously escaped her mouth, 'I... Its behind the ol… old church. G… Go s... straight on t... this road and w… walk, t... till you… you find a cem… cemetery. Be… behind the trees... the w… w… we…' words froze in her throat.

'Thank you very much', replied Emma patiently. She picked up the fallen cloth and tossed it back in the bucket. She turned to go. The lady suddenly seized Emma's hand and squeezed it hard. Her eyes were clouded with fear and her distant gaze screamed hysteria, 'God does not reside there! Evil does! Nobody gets out of that place alive. That place breeds insanity and anybody desperate to go there will lose their morale. No, no, you must not go there. Only death awaits that place!'

Emma listened carefully before placing a placid palm on the woman's trembling hands and replied, 'I have nothing to lose, and I am not willing to turn back now. Thank you for the warning though.' She gently brushed the perplexed lady's hand aside and walked on. Grell joined her on the way.

'I don't think it's the sacrifice of a lamb we need. There must be more to this ritual than what appears to be...' spoke Emma after careful scrutinization.

'We will find out when we get there, anyway' trotted Grell alongside Emma carrying a lamb underneath his arms which was struggling to break free. Emma side-glanced the lamb and quietly walked ahead.

A whole hour later, tiny crosses peeped from above the ground lined by tall pine trees stretching in the background. Desolation hung in the air. As the two skirted across the cemetery, an unsettling feeling of eeriness coaxed Emma causing her to flinch slightly. On the contrary, Grell seemed to be enjoying the scenery, getting excited by the minute.

Behind the silhouette of the trees, a tilted red cross appeared high up in the sky. Parts of a crumbling building were now visible through the heavily matted greenery. Upon closer inspection, they could see the dislodged rooftop and broken windows. The white paint from the walls had peeled off at many places and the base of the building had been engulfed by lush foliage. They felt the ominous presence of still air and deathly silence, wrap the atmosphere which was only enhanced by the absence of any life form. Though it was mid-noon, the sun's rays barely marked the ground.

Emma put on her gloves and pulled her coat closer. The icy wind was gnawing and tugging at her coat, battling for an opportunity to pierce her body with its icy blades stripping her off of whatever little warmth her it was trying to furnish.

Fading reddish brown colored queer looking symbols were etched on the walls. Here and there, on the stones and the ground, were thick pools and patches of the same color. Broken glass pieces, metal fragments, torn faded fabric, decaying twigs and leaves cluttered the ground, masked by a dreadful stench that was uninhibitedly toying with her senses, causing her stomach to lurch and gut out her bile. Not only did the place have a gaudy unearthly presence to it that tormented Emma physically, it also started playing mind games on her brain forcing gory images of some ancient unseen battle ground with humans tugging the internals out of each other, to emerge in the process. The ground sagged, sustaining no consistency what so ever, only adding fuel to her unsettling feeling.

'Behind the church. We will have to go behind the church' motioned Emma almost choking with the foul odor raking her nose begging for free entry.

The duo circumvented the church. Upon a short distance, they found the well. The walls were shaded with thick films of decaying blood. Mosquitoes and houseflies were swarming in and out of the mouth of the well. In addition to what they had previously seen, they found skulls and bones dotting the ground this time.

Grell had been grinning feverishly for some time. He repositioned the helplessly bleating lamb under his arms as his nose twitched with excitement taking in the sickening beauty of the rotting place painted with his favourite colour, dulled due to age. He was more than convinced that this was definitely Sebaschan's lair. 'Luring a priest and turning him against his own beliefs and morals to such an extent that the priest mass murdered his colleagues and the people who attended the church that day. That is something only Sebaschan can pull off!' chuckled the Reaper, his cheeks turning a flaming red. 'Finally the day has come when we meet again… Hmmmm… Sebaschan… I want to meet you so bad... and feel those moist lips set fire to my insides as we are locked in a passionate kiss... and... and...'

Emma felt disgusted. 'How do you know that?' she snapped, making her irritation very very evident in her tone.

'Tsk! Such a party pooper!' He sighed, 'It was written on the walls of the church. Looks like he made him write what he did before he asking him to jump into the well' replied Grell ecstatically, choosing to ignore the annoyance that was specifically directed at him.

Emma's mind rattled a bit. _"What if a similar fate awaited me? Will the Shinigami save me? What if the Demon doesn't wish to make a contract? In that case will Grell let me be devoured? No, wait, Sebastian will not be able to stay on earth longer if he doesn't form a contract, right? But in that case, will I be able to convince him to make one?"_ She moved closer to the well and peeped in. 'Did the priest make a contract with Sebaschan by any chance?'

'There is no sure way of knowing that. But as long as the Demons sense a purpose for being summoned, they usually form a contract. I don't think the priest made the contract. All this looks like Sebaschan had a little fun of his own. Moreover he was picky when it came to choosing his master. What? Are we having second thoughts now, princess?' chuckled Grell san.

Emma had stopped listening halfway. Something carved at the side of the well had caught her attention. She bent down to examine it. A series of imperceptible symbols scaled the wall. She nudged Grell and directed his attention to it. He stooped and adjusted his glasses. His eyes twinkled almost instantly. 'This is Helshischweth language, the language of the demons. And it is looks like the ritual to summon one. It says',

  
  


_Guetelle noctre grisht win sueon,_

_nos cleuor, nos bolbeura,_

_Prita parleur prec cistieq quesselle,_

_Scapia chiateth grubboe_

_nos fecitia, nos fascinasuea_

_Primora honstoppe maxicaddor_

_Sette goerneiore reccreverbe_

_ Pichher welleth, devillethe pressentia... _

  
  


'which means:'

  
  


_When the day merges with night,_

_And it is neither dim nor bright,_

_Follow my instructions, simple and crude,_

_Throw in the lamb as my food,_

_The one who committed no sin, no crime,_

_Whose good intentions were always at prime,_

_One, whom you sought generosity from,_

_Throw them in and I shall come..._

  
  


'Like I thought, there was a more deeper meaning to the ritual. Let go of the lamb, Grell san' announced Emma.

'A scapegoat huh?' Grell unconsciously threw the lamb into the well. 'Ah! It slipped…' he looked sheepishly at Emma and let out a nervous giggle that failed its way to reach his eyes.

Emma thought about the inscription for a moment. _"What is the meaning of this poem? Who could he be talking about? One whose intentions were always at prime? Is he referring to an innocent person? And what does sought generosity from mean? Does he want a person who was betrayed? What is he referring to…"_ Her eyes widened as the meaning sank in. Her cheeks were shrouded in a deathly pallor as her heart raced at an insane pace, threatening to jump out of her ribcage hold. Her head throbbed, screaming, denying, rebelling with all its might to shut out the heinous truth from surfacing and baring its mockery filled vicious fangs at her. _"It can't be…"_ she clutched the rim of the well tightly. _"It can't be… It can't be! It can't be! It can't be! What have I gotten myself into?"_ She seethed and trembled as her morality was being belittled, shredded and scattered to nothingness. 

Grell watched her unruffled and after a momentary speculation, he said coldly, 'Let's get going. We have a lot of work to do.'

Emma couldn't budge. Her legs were rooted to the ground. The harshness of reality had struck her foundation like a mighty hammer and she found herself baseless, tossed about atop an inky black raging sea, with no direction, no goal and no end. Her breathing became shallow. She felt like she was already spiralling into a seemingly hell and her journey had even started yet...

Grell got irritated at this point. 'What did you think? Making a demon your slave will be a cake walk? If you want something, you have to let go of something. Get moving or I will decide your fate right here, right now' he threatened in a deadly serious tone.

Emma was in pain. She looked at Grell with teary eyes. However, Grell's cold eyes were fixated on hers. They showed no mercy, no pity, no faltering. He had violated his duty and yet he stood there undeterred.  _"Unfinished business, Emma, Unfinished business..."_ , echoed a voice loud and clear inside her head.  _"Rebecca"_ , Emma whispered, clutching her locket and closing her eyes shut.

When she opened them, they were dead. She wiped her tears and threw away her feelings. Like a killing machine set on a mission, she walked ahead and called out to Grell, "Come let's go Grell san. We will get late otherwise. I cannot afford to waste more time'. Grell was pleased with the development and followed her quickly.

The duo retraced their way back to the village. Emma felt her each and every step weighing her heavily down with guilt and hatred. But she didn't stop. She wouldn't.  _The decision had been taken and there was no turning back..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helshischweth language does not exist... not even in the demon world!!!


	3. Summon the Daemon

An old bronze nameplate harbouring tarnished silver letters read "Mrs. Parker's Residency". Emma raised her hand to knock stopping just an inch away from the door, hesitation clearly written all over her face. From the corner of her eye, she caught Grell watching her silently. _"There is no turning back!"_ she reminded herself. Heaving a huge sigh, hoping desperately it would wash off her unsureness, she advanced to knock.

_Click!_

The door swung open with a surprised Mrs. Parker spanning the doorway, staring at a pale, shocked Emma. The old lady's hand instantly latched itself to Emma's cheek. 'Are you alright, dear?' she asked, flashing her infectious smile graced with her gentle placid voice, the touch readily transforming into a warm embrace. 

Unable to utter a single word, Emma simply nodded. It had been a terrible blow! Though she had convinced herself that her poker face mask was impregnable, a slight touch of gentleness had exposed her fears naked on her face.

'We have bacon for lunch. Why don't you come inside and make yourself comfortable?' The old lady took possession of her hand without further ado and ushered her in.

Emma followed quietly, eyes fixed to the ground, grimacing every step that was aggressively shoving her to reality and the old lady to an impending sinister end

'I somehow had a feeling, you would come back' the lady purred, directing a passionate gaze at Emma, coercing her eyes to look up, despite her miserable efforts to keep them low. The lady's eyes shone with pure innocence, a blissful light intensifying manifold at having acquired a purpose to live, a light promising warmth, love and kindness. 

Emma blanched, the growing guilt stifling her heart further, defiling and demeaning her purpose and existence by incessantly throwing around a single question - _Is it meaningful to live to take someone else's life?_

They passed the hall and entered the dining room, cold beads of sweat rolling off with ease from Emma's temples. A sickeningly sweet aroma floated in the air, seducing the olfactory lobe, eliciting a craving to rumble deep in the stomach. 

But what awaited there completely shook the lady's soul and washed Emma with a wave of remorse.Blood drained from the lady's face accompanied by the quick dissipation of warmth from her hands that turned cold and sweaty. 

Blaring into her face was a ridgy chain saw, threatening to shred her frame into pieces. Holding the raging equipment was a mean-spirited Soul Reaper, a nasty light irradiating his orbs and an even nastier smile playing his lips. 

Emma quickly perceived the situation and withdrew her hand. Stupefied, the old lady turned to look at her. 

One glance was all it took for the lady to realize… 'Oh! Dear Lord!' she exclaimed and flopped onto the adjacent chair, her knees buckling from emotional shock. 'I-I d-didn't know it was this soon.' She shook all over, perspiration breaking and spilling off her rugged jawline. Her trembling hands grasping the chair, in desperate efforts to calm themselves. The warm light receding from her eyes only to be replaced by shattered hopeless despair. 

Emma recognized those eyes. Those were the eyes of a dying human...

'I-If you could give me a minute. I-I need to pay homage to my creator. I promise I won't take long…' stuttered the old lady, before ambling slowly to her room. 

Emma watched with self-reproach, at the contorted profile ebbing away from the gathering, the ugliness that her actions had brought forth. Grell seemed to be enjoying every passing minute, recalling how otherwise he was forced to see the tasteless pathetic dramatic records that sucked the joy out of his work. 

After 5 minutes had passed, the lady emerged from her room, trails of fresh tears still tainting her face, a smile ghosting across her wearied features, a calm propelling from her frail frame, like she had anticipated it and gracefully accepted the end with solemnity. She strode towards Emma and hugged her tight and whispered in a very sweet voice, 'It will be alright.' She kissed her forehead and held her hands out, 'Accompany me till my final hour'.

The trio stepped out of the house. The sinking day had begun to cast its dusky colors across the sky. Streaks of pink light mingled with blue reigned far across the horizon. Silence was their uninvited company that tagged along till they reached the graveyard. 

'I had a son who loved me very much.' The lady spoke in a carefree voice, finally breaking the tension. 'When he was a kid, we were inseparable. But as time passed, I became aware of the distance growing between us. I was not surprised when he said he wanted to join the army. I nodded silently. More than the thought of him leaving me, I feared the thought of losing his love for me. Then one day, the telegram came, _"Thomas Parker was a great soldier. He died on the battlefield saving three of his fellowmen. We greatly honor his sacrifice and look up to him."_ It wasn't a shock. That day I prayed to god, to take me away but I guess... he had other plans. Like spring follows autumn, my niece came to stay with me. She was a wonderful girl. It seemed like my black and white life had been repainted with bright vibrant colors. Slowly and steadily her vitality sucked the gloom out of my life and I was caught up in her warm web of passion. She had the same eyes as yours…brown, warm, gentle yet demanding...' the lady flashed Emma a gracious smile. 

Emma walked on, peeling her eyes away from the woman and redirecting them to the ground. 

'But my happiness was short lived.' she continued. 'One Sunday, Wilma said she didn't want to go to the church. That was the first time we fought. I was bed-ridden. She wanted to stay by my side and nurse me to health, but I insisted she go and pray for me instead. I regret it now. I should not have asked her to go. That day there was a massacre at the church. People were slaughtered like factory animals. One after the other, people dropped dead to the ground. Villagers said that a churchman had gone on a rampage. He was possessed by evil so vicious and deadly that sensibility appeared illusionary. My niece was killed in the very house of God. I resented him, cursed him for leaving me behind and taking away the light of my life. But I realized that I was being naïve. To the lord, who had granted me this wonderful opportunity to witness all forms of happiness and sadness, I should have been more grateful. All my hatred and worries vanished in an instant. That was when you came to my door. I am glad I met you.'

Each and every word the old lady uttered prodded Emma's heart, gently but painfully. She was drowning deeper and deeper into an unseen abyss of guilt and reproach. An irreparable crack had appeared on the wall which refused to disappear or allowed the wall to crumble. It remained to ridicule her for the rest of her life. Emma silently gritted her teeth. 

Sensing tension shroud the tiny figure, Grell barked, 'Old lady, will you shut the hell up? My ears are getting tired of your rambling!'

By now they had crossed the graveyard. The lady only inched closer to Emma when she saw the gory display of the blood engraved walls. The ill-omened well came into view as they perambulated the deserted church.

Once in the vicinity of the well, the lady spun around abruptly and gripped Emma's shoulders tight, 'Promise me that you will not bring any harm to the villagers. In my opinion, it is still in your best interest if you do not succumb to evil. You are a good girl, I don't know what happened but do not let evil rule y…' Her speech remained unfinished as a swift movement caught the frail figure in air and thrust her down the opening. Grell adjusted his glasses and scoffed, 'Think about yourself first, old hag!'

'Aaaaaa...' the sound reverberated from the well, ending with a loud crack and snapping of bones. 

Emma stood rooted to the ground, horrified, her senses bailing out on the rapid succession of events. Her brain was practically dead except for the severe ringing rampaging inside, _'What do I do? What am I doing? What is happening? Nothing makes sense... Somebody, Anybody, say something! Do someth…"_

_'Pat!'_

She felt a hand slap tight across her shoulder blades, joggling the soul inside her.

'Princess, looks like it was a huge failure!' barked the Reaper, a blend of anger and annoyance painting his features. Emma looked up at him not knowing how to react. 'Let's go, we have to think of something else' Grell turned to go.

Emma turned, astonished, 'Failure? Grell san... did you just say failure?' 

'Yes! Damn right, I said failure! Now stop dilly dallying and get moving your arse, princess.' 

_"How dare he? That bloody Shinigami! How dare he..."_ Emma's face contorted with wrath, but before she could move a muscle - 

A whip shot in the air and coiled around her, coercing a surprised scream out of her throat. Within seconds, her body was hovering above the mouth of the well before spiralling downward, escaping hastily into its darkness.

Grell had only been a split second late in dashing out, shock obviously being the cause for the delayed reaction. He hurled his torso forward, striving at an attempt to steal the girl back from the unseen predator only to find his hands feeling air instead. 'You better be alive!' was all he could yell behind her.

Emma was dragged face forward into the pit, her struggles at breaking free rendering futile against the monstrous strength her predator was displaying. 

All of a sudden, all movement ceased, the whip surprisingly withdrawing behind a magical curtain leaving the battered body of the girl slumped in the dark that shrouded every inch of the space. The opening was now a defunct distant existence. 

Emma braced herself up, carefully, becoming more and more aware of the weariness erupting in different parts of her body. But that was least of her concerns. She had to quickly find the culprit who had crafted this situation. She peered into the dark, straining her eyelids to roll back as much as possible to let in any amount of light which was a scarce entity down there. 

Her insides were boiling. Boiling to the point of letting tiny droplets to explode ubiquitously all over her skin, dripping off to from a sweaty pool radially around her. Her senses were ticking vigilantly, picking up on any rustle, whimper, rattle or whisper, as she eased herself into a defensive stance. 

These sensations skyrocketed when she suddenly became aware of a huge pair of eyes surveying her closely from behind. She slowly turned her upper body... to greet… two shinning emerald eyes, intensely focused on her, everything else a remote visibility - only the glassy cold green orbs fastly locked on hers. 

After a nerve-racking stare down, the eyes finally inched closer to Emma, fizzling out steamy hot breath to wash all over her, causing her knees to buckle slightly and shield her face, shaking uncontrollably with fear.

'A girl, as tiny as you, what purpose you may have of me?' a guttural voice bellowed viciously over her.

Emma stood shuddering under her skin, fear gripping and misting her tenacious mind, preventing it from processing accurately. She squeaked as a leathery whip claimed her body once more, singeing deep into her delicate skin with coils and coils of rising frictional heat.

'Don't keep me waiting young lady, spout the reason... why did you awaken me?' the eyes blinked, cocking up to one side.

Emma realized the snake-like features her predator bore. She almost stuttered in broken words, ' I…s-service.. y-yours…' 

The eyes narrowed to a slit and the snake moved further closer to her face, scales brushing brutally against her body, bruising her tender skin. 

'You have serious issues with your resolution... yet you have come this far. The price you paid was heavy... yet you do not know what to seek. I have no business with people who are unsure about their wants. _Your sacrifice was in vain._ Get lost before I get furious and break your back.' The grip loosened and the snake was about to slither away.

 _"Your sacrifice was in vain! Your sacrifice was in vain! Your sacrifice was in vain!Your sacrifice was in vain! In vain! Vain! Vain! Vain! Vain!"_ , the words trampled inside her head as anger, richly infused with hatred, welled up from deep within. Taking an efficient control of her disarrayed brain, it gust out harshly in spite, laced thickly with a firm unwavering voice, 'WAIT!'

The snake paused, throwing her a momentary glance. 

'I said _WAIT..._ What right do you have to talk about others when all you are doing is lazily leeching off on good people?' she seethed, her fists clenched into tight balls, white showing on the knuckles.

Emma felt the tail wrap around her once more, gradually lifting her off the ground, 'I may have slightly underestimated your guts, little girl...' sneered the snake, sneaking out a forked tongue to examine the side of her neck, the wetness of it all evoking the fear which she was battling to keep from surfacing. 

The snake took its own sweet time, as the slick muscle scanned the area, thoroughly analyzing her potpourri of emotions that had steadied dramatically, before voicing again, 'So what is it that you want? Money? Pleasure? Fame? Name it and you will have it!'

'I want you to become my slave', she dictated, claiming sheer command.

The snake backed in surprise. Poison clad fangs peeked out as an amusing smile spread on the reptile's lips, 'By slave, do you mean a contract? And for what reason may I ask?'

'I need revenge against a certain Demon' a superficial lie instantly bubbled out.

'Pretty interesting', replied the snake swaying slightly. 'And how will I benefit from the contract?'

'My soul is the price. You will become my slave and after achieving my goal, you can have my soul' replied Emma without batting an eye.

'Ha ha ha ha!', guffawed the snake, the sound echoing relentlessly, bouncing off invisible walls, disrupting the ominous silence of the deathly still air plaguing the well. 'I have not had so much of an entertainment for the past 50 years. Let's make this deal! Finishing off a Demon for the price of a soul is but a piece of cake!'

'But remember,' the snake leered, drawing deliberately close to the tiny face, 'if I sense you trying to pull back even once while under the contract, I will devour your soul that very instant.' 

'Nothing less I expect from a malevolent soul feeder...' a sugar-coated boast gracefully exited her petal soft lips. 

The snake revealed its ivory fangs and without warning, dug deep into the side of Emma's neck. 

Sanguine fluid gushed out in massive waves, painting her faded pink frock a passionate red. Her head lolled to the side as her waken self slipped painfully in the bliss of the unknown, her body giving out and surrendering to the coil's support.

'The contract is complete, my mistress!' sneered the snake deftly handling the body of its new master.


	4. Christening

 

After what seemed like hours, Emma stirred a bit. Her throat was parched and her head throbbed severely. She squinted her eyes as her vision appeared blurred. As she gradually regained her consciousness, she became aware of the intolerable pain rising from the side of her throat. Fleeting glimpses of her obscured memory relayed to her the entire episode of her encounter with the snake demon. She slowly reached for her throat and let her mechanical fingers examine the wound. The skin in the area was burnt and had become soft. It had contracted at intervals to form tiny ridges. As her adroit fingers trailed along the ridged skin, Emma realized that she was elaborately drawing a mental picture of what seemed like a symbol comprising of two double headed snakes, with flaring fangs, intertwined with each other, confined in a circle. _"The proof of the contract, I guess!"_  she thought.

As her vision cleared and her senses snapped back, she spotted fresh blood droplets splattered on the wet mud where she was positioned. A high pitched, unrestrained voice kept ramming forcibly into her ears, but she did not bother to look up. She knew whose voice it belonged to. What caught her attention, were a pair of shiny green shoes stationed two feet away from where she lay. She tilted her head at a slight angle to look up. She saw a man, sitting hunched on the wall of the well. His face was positioned obliquely on his right palm and his eyes were half closed. Locks of thick shining black hair concealed parts of his forehead. He was wearing a very bored expression. A green sleeveless fur jacket, shredded ubiquitously, revealing pale white skin, and a dull grey knee high trousers were the only other visible apparel on his body.

Emma made a mental note of the person's image and reluctantly looked towards Grell. He was impatiently pacing up and down the marsh, often throwing his hands helplessly in the air, muttering a few curses. 'Gre… Grell-san', Emma whispered feebly, her voice hoarse from the pain. A split second later, the man in the green jacket stooped down holding a glass of water in his hand. Emma blinked at the glass incredulously, but gladly emptied its contents. She turned to look at the new face when she was interrupted by Grell san. 'You brat…' he shook her shoulders furiously, 'Who the hell is this person? And where is Sebastian?' he yelled.

'Huh! This is not Sebastian?' asked Emma, dizzy from the sudden jerking. Emma slowly turned to face the Demon who had been observing everything passively. When their eyes met, he braced himself up and beamed at her. His eyes lit and shone fluorescent green, like two emeralds blazing against a black background. He took her arm in his hands and helped her stand up. Emma steadied herself and looked at his face carefully. His features were near perfect. His smile was gentle but did not care to hide his malicious intent of savouring a prey. 'I am glad you are fine' he said. 'Most people do not survive my bite' he added proudly.

Emma gave him a stern look and pushed his hand away. 'You are a conceited person, I see. You must learn to hold your tongue before your mistress' she replied coldly but with dignity. The demon, though surprised at the cold resentment was only more pleased, 'Yes mistress. I will be careful in the future', he replied.

Meanwhile, Grell had started muttering to himself. Emma took no notice of him and continued talking to the demon, 'Tell me demon, if you are not Sebastian, then who are you and what is your name?'

'I am the Demon who claimed several deaths through small pox and I also lured the priest here and turned him against his own people' replied the Demon proudly. 'However, I do not have a name and I have never engaged myself in a contract before', he added.

'I see. Then, from now on, your name will be Philip', replied Emma. 'You will serve my purpose alone and will never raise an opinion of yours unless you are asked to. You will not act on your own but under my orders. You will lend me your powers till I have achieved my objectives in return for my soul. Are we clear, Philip?' commanded Emma.

Emma's words hit the demon like a thunderbolt. He stood there staring into her eyes, stupefied. A sudden heat rose from the depths of his stomach as he realized that he had not been staring into the eyes of a confused, damsel in distress but at cold blue fire that threatened to consume everything silently that came on its way. His body trembled with excitement and he unhesitatingly dropped on his knee. His ragged diaphanous flimsy garment swiftly transformed into a Butler's attire and he said, 'Yes mistress, very clear!'

Emma now focused on Grell. 'Grell-san, please stop wailing and acting immature. You were the one who, in the first place assumed it would be Sebastian and now you are saying it's my fault. What's done cannot be reversed. Let's just go along with it for the moment, ok?'

Grell glared at her for a moment and replied, 'You better have some alternative plan up your sleeve, shorty. And don't forget that I am the reason you are here. If you fail me again you better be ready to face the conse…' His words stopped midway as he felt a stern gaze directed at him from the demon.

Emma curled her lips and displayed an utterly amused smile, 'Grell-san, it's not the same as before now is it? You understand don't you? Laying hands on me now will be a little challenging, right? But don't worry, Grell-san, I will definitely reward you for letting me live and will live by our contract. I am just asking you to be a bit patient. So please calm down.'

Grell was taken aback but he quietly surrendered. He knew she was right. With the demon by her side, her curtain of vulnerability had vanished.  _"I will have to be more careful how I deal with her. Though the demon can be easily eliminated, it is not going to be easy like before"_  he thought.

The night blanket had gradually descended on them and the full moon shone brightly in the sky. Indulged in heavy silence, the trio pondered over the turn of events. Emma meticulously weighed the pros and cons of a novice idea that was taking shape in her mind while Philip awaited her orders patiently. Grell sighed and went around kicking skulls and stones.

Emma strode towards Philip and questioned him, 'Since you are a demon, you will have an idea of another demon called Sebastian right?'

Philip replied, 'Mistress, I am extremely sorry but like I said before, we demons do not have names. We are recognized by our manifestations in the human world. That is our fixed identity. You could also call it a short version of our demonic form. If you remember, I was a serpent before I turned into a human. Similarly, this Sebastian you are talking about will definitely have a demonic form. If you can tell me what it is, I might be able to recognize that demon.'

Emma replied, 'I see.' She called out to Grell and asked him, 'Grell-san, do you have any idea what is the manifestation form of Sebastian?'

Grell thought for a moment and replied, 'I think it was a Raven.'

Philip's eyes widened for a moment and then he smirked. Emma quietly noticed the change in his expression and asked, 'So Philip, does that ring a bell.'

He looked at her and replied, 'Yes, mistress. I know exactly which demon you are talking about. It is a very tragic story. This guy was so famous for his strength and intelligence but now he is living the life of a slave. I feel so sorry for him and I can't help but laugh at his pathetic situation. Are you sure, he is the demon you want me to kill?'

Emma narrowed her eyes and replied, 'Philip, looks like you have a very weak memory and that will never be entertained. Have you forgotten what I said earlier about not asking questions unless you are allowed to?'

Philip apologized immediately, 'I am extremely sorry mistress. I'll not commit the same mistake again. Please forgive me.' He recoiled and waited for her to speak.

Grell, alerted by the conversation about Sebastian, sprinted towards them and sat like an obedient kid.

'Let me hear the story Philip. Make it precise and short' ordered Emma.

Philip narrated how Ceil had become a demon and Sebastian who was already engaged in a contract with Ceil ended up becoming his eternal slave.

Grell was horrified and began to curse Ceil. Emma silently recorded each and every word spoken by Philip. From the information she had already gathered about Ceil and the recent news, she architected a plan almost instantly as if it was the next most obvious thing to do. However, there was one loop hole.

'How can you kill a Demon, Philip?' asked Emma.

Instantly alarmed by the question and the fear of elimination, Philip glanced skeptically at Emma then at Grell and then back at Emma. 'Why… why do you need that kind of information?' he spoke his mind out loud.

'Answer my question Philip.' replied Emma sternly.

Philip sighed and replied, 'A Shinigami's blade can kill practically anybody. Apart from that, there is a demon sword that can render severe injuries to a Demon from which recovering could be quite challenging.'

Emma smiled to herself. That one loop hole had now disappeared with this little piece of information. Content with her plan, she announced, 'For now let's get out of this village. But before that, Philip you will go and erect a tombstone for late Mrs. Parker in the graveyard. When you are finished, join us immediately.'

'Yes mistress,' replied Philip and sprinted towards the graveyard.  _"Tough… yet warm and gentle. She portrays such a bold face upfront but on the inside she is actually dying with guilt. I have never met a person this interesting before. This is going to be so much fun"_  chuckled the demon.

 _"I… I will be leaving this village now, Grandma. As promised, this village will not be harmed. I… I am sorry… I wish I had met you earlier…"_  Intolerable pain smothered Emma's heart. A tiny tear droplet appeared at the corner of her eyes. She immediately brushed it off and wearing a brave expression marched ahead accompanied by Grell, who was lost in his own grief.

They had not even taken three complete steps, when Philip joined them.

'Did you complete the job?' enquired Emma suspiciously.

'Yes mistress, I have finished it just like you ordered' replied Philip.

'Where can we rest for the night?' asked Emma.

'There is an abandoned palace at a distance precisely half a kilometer from here. We can spend the rest of the night there' replied Philip.

The three of them walked in silence. The road was rugged with rocks protruding at irregular angles making the walk wearier. Alongside the road grew some flowers. Some had withered; some had disappeared quietly into the dark background while some shone brightly displaying their heavenly colors. Beyond these tiny shrubs were vast stretches of dark green fields. The night seemed endless but the trio continued to walk down the deserted road, unfazed by the stunning night beauty.


End file.
